TKO

Running America: 20, Social Network: 6

2010-11-04T08:42:00.001-07:00

Last night at Solon Cinemas, Running America attendance beat out Social Network's by 20 to 6. Thanks to everyone who came out to see the film! We'll go back again tonight, the final night for the week-long run, and I hope to see even more people there. In case you missed it, DVDs are on sale now at Amazon and at www.nehst.com.

Premiere Prep

2010-10-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

We're getting ready for the Cleveland premiere of Running America. Check out the trailer here and join us on Thursday, 10/28 at 7pm at Tower City Cinemas. And then, beginning on 10/29, the film will have a week-long run at Solon Cinemas. So, if you can't make it downtown, check it out in Solon. See you there!

Protect Your Brand: Lowe's

2010-10-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ouch.

Laughter is the Best Medicine.

2010-09-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

This was a hilarious shoot. We got a lot of great reactions from the fart machine, but the whoopie cushion was the big hit, especially when the kids tricked sound recordist Steve Guercio into sitting on it again and again and again.

The OTHER Authentic Films

2010-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is not the first time this has happened. In August of 2009, sports reporters and football fans in Alabama were calling us to get more information about Authentic Films' new documentary project on the Auburn University football team. The school had just announced the plans to shoot a Hard Knocks/HBO-style series following the team.I had to tell them all that they're looking for a different

Abandoned - A Fly By Tour

2010-08-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

I recently had the occasion to need and use the Abandoned application from The Form Group. This is a very cool app for filmmakers, photographers and location scouts - check it out.Your GPS device locates you and alerts you to the abandoned properties near you, plus a few photos and a bit of information on what it used to be, who owned it, why it fell into abandonment, etc. I definitely have a

Hero Tomorrow and self-distribution

2010-08-18T17:56:00.001-07:00

Ted Sikora, director/co-writer of independent film Hero Tomorrow and new comic book Apama, was kind enough to sit down with us today and discuss the details of his self-distribution experience. Hero Tomorrow premiered at Comic Con International 2009 in San Diego, enjoyed a healthy film festival run, and is now available on DVD at Amazon.com, iTunes, and Filmbaby. We're ready to start planning a

Is She In or Out?

2010-08-03T15:17:00.001-07:00

She's IN! Cleveland's Valerie Mayen will be one of the contestants on this season's Project Runway. Yes, the same Valerie Mayen of Yellowcake Shop who made me that beautiful dress for Cannes. I couldn't be happier for her and her business - I know that she'll represent our hometown well in those creative challenges, and I love that she doesn't play basketball! We'll have months of great exposure

Intervention for Punchy

2010-07-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

We're shooting television spots and a video for the Akron Canton Airport. And we are having a blast. Fake braces, punch dummies, and an intervention. With some of our favorite actors and crew. Plus, we're introducing my nephew, Max, to his first production. How could this not be fun?

Another Perfect Day?

2010-05-24T02:15:00.000-07:00

Could it be possible to have yet another fabulous day in Cannes? We've visited beautiful cities and countries before, but adding a world premiere film screening to each day on this trip has made this like no other. We saw Boxing Gym, directed by Frederick Wiseman, now 80 years old, here to premiere his 38th film - can you imagine? If you have one minute and 30 seconds, watch this clip to see how

My New Dress...

2010-05-23T16:54:00.001-07:00

Tonight I wore my new dress, designed and made for me by Valerie Mayen of Yellowcake in Cleveland. While the entire evening was like a fairy tale, wearing this dress also makes it look like one.We had reservations at Gaston et Gastounette, known for presentations of the freshest seafood. When we arrived, we were led to one of the best tables at the front of the house, looking out onto the

Premiere Screening at Cannes

2010-05-19T01:21:00.000-07:00

Premieres are always exciting, but to see Cleveland vs. Wall Street premiere in the Director's Fortnight at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival is almost too much for me to handle. I'm thrilled for director Jean-Stéphane Bron, for SAGA Production company, and all participants, and hope that this premiere translates to a wide audience for the film. I'm a bit jet-lagged here, having arrived just

Premiere of Cleveland vs. Wall Street

2010-04-25T17:38:00.001-07:00

This is so exciting: the SAGA production has been renamed Cleveland vs. Wall Street and will premiere in the Directors' Fortnight program at the Cannes Film Festival! Because of this prestigious premiere, the foreclosure crisis in Cleveland will now have an international audience. The film is about the attorneys for the City of Cleveland who sued the 21 banks that they deem responsible for the

$2 Rare Book Store

2010-04-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

His name is Chris. When we walked into his bookstore, he smiled huge and asked "did you call?" when we answered "yes," he nodded, "ok, good, I'm usually here afternoons, not before 11, come on in, I've got..." and he began to give us a tour of what was apparently his personal book collection that has become his book store. I had the impression that he has read every book on the shelves. He has

Premiere of Running America

2010-04-13T15:14:00.001-07:00

It's finally here: the premiere of Running America. We are thrilled to go to Pittsburgh, Kevin's hometown, and see it on the big screen with an audience of more than 10-12 focus group members. Charlie Engle will host a Q&A, and Mike O'Brien, editor, will be there too. We will likely attend another screening or two...stay tuned to www.nehst.com for screening dates, ticket sales, and DVD sales.

34th CIFF Promotional Trailers

2010-03-16T08:15:00.001-07:00

Cleveland film lovers were the stars of the film festival promotional trailers this year. We asked people to complete the sentence: "...because of the Cleveland International Film Festival" and about 350 people sent in their thoughts. We invited about 100 people to the 2-day shoot, and the results are funny, clever, thoughtful, emotional, and more. SHOOT magazine honored the :30 spots in their

Interns - fresh or stale?

2010-01-13T11:57:00.000-08:00

We just said goodbye to Cody as he returned to school after his college break internship. And we are about to welcome Molly tomorrow as she starts her internship. I realized that I'm about to repeat myself with instructions: this is where we keep...this is how we...don't forget to...make sure you...and this falls under that confidentiality agreement! So, Molly will start her internship by keeping

Found 'em!

2009-12-27T20:21:00.000-08:00

For months, I've been looking for a great winter boot that I can wear when we work outside - when I'm on my feet all day, there is likely snow on the ground, and I NEED to stay warm. Thank you, Zappos, for letting me order and return so many pair of boots. I also hit a few stores, but Zappos was the winner for ease of website usage, fast delivery - sometimes they arrived the next day! - and price

Intern Food

2009-12-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

We have been so impressed with what our intern can put away that we started a new blog, entitled What Our Intern Ate. Take a look. We think it's hilarious.

Ride at Spin

2009-12-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Russell Lee had a wonderful show presented at Spin in Lakewood last night. Not only was it a great show of his photography, but it was also a great party and a huge crowd. What a great place for people who love bikes to get together, drink some good beer, look at bikes and pictures of bikes, and talk about bikes all night. Congrats, Russ, on a super successful show!

Friends and Family

2009-11-29T09:42:00.002-08:00

It's hard to take a photo of a 91-year-old woman. In my grandmother's case, she's reticent in front of a camera, she's self-conscious, and she's likely to turn away from me. She also may have forgotten to put makeup on the other eyebrow or even to put in her teeth. However, this Thanksgiving, she warmed up to the digital camera as she sat next to me and we took pictures of everyone else. She

Production Insurance

2009-09-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

Recently I've received a lot of questions about production insurance from independent filmmakers. And there's really a simple answer: you need it. For all kinds of productions, you need it. Even if you are making an independent horror film with your friends, don't think that you are exempt from any liability. If someone gets hurt, you could be held responsible. If equipment is damaged, you are

Relearning Lessons

2009-09-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

How many times to I have to regret not backing up information frequently? It's been three weeks, maybe four, since I synched my iphone and it was stolen yesterday. Long story...anyway, I've lost three weeks of photos, phone numbers, downloads, etc. that I hadn't backed up yet. It could be worse, I know, but even losing a few numbers is a hassle.My only consolation is knowing that it was

RA Anniversary

2009-09-05T17:29:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that at this time last year, we were about to begin the cross-country journey that set records in the running world and produced a record of the weeks leading up to the most interesting presidential race in the US. Watching the footage is both wonderful and difficult. It's a beautiful landscape and we have a great story, but I also see the pain in the runners on those first

Defend Cleveland

2009-09-05T11:06:00.001-07:00

I bought these t-shirts from Room Service for my friends living in Brooklyn. They are Ohio-grown but they are denying their roots when they slam Cleveland. I've had enough of it. And you can't deny that these shirts are really cute, and they are super-soft, too. Nisha and Jenny, you will surrender, I'm sure.

The Editing Room

2009-09-04T10:37:00.001-07:00

So we are introducing Mike O'Brien, our new editor, to about 145 interviews with bright and articulate Americans. That's about 145 hours of content. And he's also watching hundreds of hours of running, running, running, injuries, struggles, challenges and hope in the footage that tells the stories of the runners.It's wonderful to be reminded, after so many months away from the project, how the

Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho...

2009-09-03T15:57:00.001-07:00

Off to work I go with my new shoulder bag. I love it. It makes every project feel fresh and newly organized, like a trapper keeper on the first day of school.And I feel energized for a new phase for RA - the edit process that is now home in Cleveland. We're working with Mike O'Brien, editor, and Ante Up Audio for the sound mix and music. A year after the project kicked off, we are finally getting

Hello, Cleveland?

2009-08-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

So, some communication issues continue on this project...I met the French and Swiss in front of their downtown hotel, we loaded into van, and I felt inspired to greet them: "Hello, Cleveland!" To which one of them replied, "Hello?"They've never seen This is Spinal Tap. So they didn't know: 1. how funny I was or 2. how funny this situation was, with my joke hanging out there, not even recognized

SAGA at County Courthouse

2009-08-22T08:41:00.001-07:00

The Cuyahoga County Courthouse is just so beautiful. What a location for shooting!

SAGA in Slavic Village

2009-08-19T08:22:00.001-07:00

I've been working with SAGA Productions for about a year now as they are here from Switzerland and need an American company to co-produce, but I just recently joined the day-to-day efforts of the project and will be with them on set for a few weeks. Today shooting began with the closing shot for the film, a lineup of the Slavic Village neighborhood's residents featured in the film and Tony

Mommy's in Charge

2009-08-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

My friend started a new blog about raising her four kids. She's consistently posting the funniest facebook status updates, so it's about time that she's going to give us more to the stories. Check it out - mommysincharge.blogspot.com. Hard to believe that "just yesterday" we were eating popcorn on the floor of her HC dorm room.

Failure to Communicate

2009-08-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

I'm helping a Swiss and French documentary team prep for three weeks of shooting this month in Cleveland. It has been both interesting and funny at times to experience the communication challenges, as both language and cultural differences surface at unexpected times.For example, I asked Adam White today when he was going to Dan's. The French heard: "when are you going to dance?" And so the

Don't Hire Your Friends

2009-08-11T18:31:00.001-07:00

To be clear: it's fine to hire your friends, but don't hire them just because they are your friends. Hire the best person for the job, period. If they happen to be a friend, that's great. You'll all have a good time on set. But hire someone who you can trust to do a job to the best of their ability - an ability that is the quality and level of competence that you need for the job performance.

Team Authentic Films

2009-08-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

An update on yesterday's triathlon: Kevin, Russ, and Joe placed second in the relay! They missed the first place rank by 7 seconds. You can imagine the shame. Oh, the agony of defeat. Kevin says he feels like Laurent Fignon.

How To Spectate

2009-08-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

I'm frequently a spectator at Kevin's triathlons. This weekend, he participated in a relay at the Greater Cleveland Triathlon with Russell Lee on bike and Joe Whang as runner. I thought I'd share my methodology and some tips for spectators:1. you'll get up very early. have some "walking breakfast" items packed and ready to go: granola bars, bananas, drinks, etc.2. pick up the New York Times (

Herbie Hotpockets

2009-08-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the video for Hot and Lean Pockets and their support of Feeding America? Here it is...

Real People

2009-08-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

Shooting real people can be tricky. This week we interviewed about 30 people for a doc project and were reminded about some tips that can help real people be comfortable in front of a camera.1. build time into the schedule to allow the person to get comfortable on set. that's in addition to time for makeup and hair. 2. you, the director, and your crew set the tone for the person's approach to the

Tomatoes!

2009-08-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Russell's tomatoes. Beautiful. And he's willing to share some of them with us.

15 Years

2009-07-30T07:33:00.001-07:00

Today Kevin and I are celebrating 15 years of marriage. And we still like each other.

Duke Was a Great Dog

2009-07-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

My parents' little Yorkie passed away at age 14. He was a great little dog and we all loved him. We were abroad when they had to put him to sleep, and my parents didn't want to tell us the news over the phone.Then, they forgot to tell us at all. True.So, it was about three weeks later that we finally learned the news. And Mom said she had already told my sisters. So, the next day, I was on the

BCC, Please!

2009-07-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

Kevin found this site today. Brilliant. I'm going to use this. A lot.BCC, Please:http://www.bccplease.com/

Fire

2009-07-21T08:41:00.001-07:00

There was a fire in the unit next to the Authentic Films office today. Thank God no one was hurt. I stood outside with the rest of the tenants who were home at the time and watched the firefighters drag half of a mattress outside. Apparently someone left a cigarette on the bed. I thought about how we had insurance to cover everything inside, but should the sprinklers be sprinkling inside our

Kids' Jokes 2009 Completed

2009-07-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

So, we recently recorded some fresh material for The Step2 Company on-hold recording of Kids' Jokes. Keith Nickoson did a great job with a new edit. Kip Gynn recorded perfect sound, even while these tiny kids were wiggling and rustling papers. Keith also composed the original music for the piece. Now, Step2 has a 90-minute loop that should keep anyone entertained, no matter

Badwater

2009-07-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

The Badwater race started today. Charlie and Marshall are both participating in it, and I think they each have a few crew members that are familiar faces from the RA adventure. I'm worried about both of them - especially Marshall. 3,100 miles is a really really long way to run and he's still recovering from that. The last time I saw him, he and Heather were retracing the route and completing a

SD TV

2009-07-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

So, everyone has made the switch to HDTV. Except us. We're downloading, Netflixing, Apple TVing, etc. for our entertainment content. And we always prefer a film on the big screen. But we still have a TV hooked up to the old rabbit ears and here's the funny thing - there are three stations that are still broadcasting in standard definition analog format. It's been exactly one month since the

Sunday reading

2009-07-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today's Plain Dealer has a few great articles. The first is on the cover of the Metro Section, above the fold, and features a photo of my cousin, Emma, a student at Laurel School. Emma participates in a summer enrichment program for girls and she's working with a younger student in the photo who is celebrating her correct answer in a game called "brain bowl." We ran over to get her autograph this

E 4th Street in NY Times

2009-07-07T14:14:00.001-07:00

An article in today's New York Times about E 4th Street...love it!

La Bodega lives!

2009-07-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's staying! La Bodega will be back in business in a few weeks! What good news.We finally drove past the site of the fire and it's devastating. The house that had the initial explosion has been razed. Matthew T. sent a photo before the demolition... I can't imagine how scary it must have been.

To-Do List for shooting on film

2009-07-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

We recently shot a commercial on 35mm film and my preparation included some items that we don't consider for every HD project, so I thought I'd share my film shoot to-do list:1. Insurance: increase insurance policy coverage if necessary to include coverage for camera equipment and film processing2. Film: order film in two separate orders, therefore two separate deliveries. if one is late or lost,

Transfer of Power

2009-07-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin is stepping down as Governor of Alaska and transferring power to her Lt. Governor. Meanwhile, I am transferring power from my 12" PowerBook G4 to my new 13" MacBook Pro. Coincidence?

Filmic Planning

2009-07-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

We're beginning a re-write of the marketing plan for Filmic. Since making the film and premiering in 2005, in a time before the video iPod, before youtube, before itunes offered visual content, a few things have changed for the independent world. So, we are just about to trash most of the plan and start fresh. I'll post our progress here under the label "Filmic" and welcome any thoughts and

La Bodega

2009-07-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

I'm so sad to say goodbye to our favorite sandwich shop, La Bodega. Just as we were departing for our trip to Ireland, local news was reporting an explosion and fire in Tremont. No details were known at the time, and no deaths had been reported. By the time we had a layover in New York, we learned from friends that one casualty was the Bodega sandwich shop.What's even sadder is that we returned

What's in Your Carry-on?

2009-06-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

So, we love to travel. But, long flights and crowded airports can make traveling difficult. We just returned from Ireland and have about 12 hours to refill the travel size bottles, turn around and get to Louisville for the hospital commercial shoot. While I have these items at hand to make a list, here's what I always keep in my carry-on bag to keep me comfortable, sane, and as germ-free as

Pre-Production Excitement

2009-06-26T17:40:00.001-07:00

We are in a frenzy of crewing up, ordering equipment, and overall planning for the shoot. I am always grateful for our banker at Key Bank, Laurie, who is always helpful when I'm making large purchases all on the same day. It's not easy prepping from overseas, but not impossible. I just have to carve out a few hours each day which is tough while traveling and internet connections are not

"Set Shoes"

2009-06-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

The right shoes are so important for a long day on set. You can be sure that you will be tired and sore after waking up very early, lugging equipment (even producers have heavy bags of laptops, pre-pro books, office supplies, etc. to carry), running during setups, or walking far distances between the set and the video village. So, if you are not giving your feet proper arch support and comfort,

Exhibit: Cleveland

2009-06-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

Exhibit: Cleveland is saying goodbye to the May Company building. We just moved our last exhibit out of the windows since the space will be occupied by Tri-C's new culinary arts program. I'm thrilled for Public Square and all of us who will enjoy the restaurants slated to be in the front windows. Meanwhile, the instruction and preparation will be happening behind glass panels so that diners can

Balancing Act

2009-06-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Time management...there is a large bookshelf dedicated to the topic in a nearby bookstore. I assume that's because it's hard to do and can anyone really be an expert? You can always read another book on it and try new methods of managing your time. However, I find that as soon as I've got things together and am in a groove, things change and that same system won't work anymore. Since the SHOOT

Kids' Jokes 2009

2009-06-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

This week we will record hours and hours of kids telling jokes. We'll cut it down, add music and we'll have the best on-hold recording ever made for The Step2 Company. Two years ago, Step2 asked us to help solve a problem with their on-hold music. They had tried everything from news to talk radio to classical, rock, country, and smooth jazz. But, consistently, customers would complain that they

nisha's hat series

2009-06-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

so kevin was immortalized today for nisha sondhe's hat series. he's a perfect match for my gun photo. nisha's thrilled that we are allowing her to portray us as hillbilly, redneck country folk. and why not? we're not planning to run for public office. her caption for kevin's picture reads: "this is kate's husband kevin. she picked him up along the way...i think he's been in the back of a police

CMA party

2009-06-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Museum of Art is ready to unveil its new wing and they are planning a fabulous party on June 20th to celebrate the occasion. We had a sneak peak of the new space and I can't wait to go back when I've got a whole day to visit my old friends again. They've been in storage for a while, but the collections look fresher in the new space and they are set against the most interesting

My Terminal Tower

2009-06-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

I've been so excited to see the Terminal Tower slowly unwrap from 12 years of scaffolding. After repair, cleaning, etc., the layers have been revealed one by one, and it's almost finished! Here are some photos that I take when I have a chance - some with the D90 and others with my iPhone. Not bad from the phone, really...I like to think that the Tower is an analogy for Cleveland in general -

SHOOT

2009-06-02T10:56:00.001-07:00

Last week we had a great trip to New York, visited with friends and had some super-fresh sushi. We attended the SHOOT New Director's Showcase event where Kevin was invited to join the panel discussion. (photo from my phone...)Afterwards we celebrated at the very crowded reception in the DGA Theater. Events like these are perfect networking opportunities and I usually can meet some people who we

Backyard Tire Fire

2009-06-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

There is a large warehouse behind our building and the owner tried to block the driveway and crummy fence with a large pile of old tires. It was only there for about a week or so, when one night we were awakened by the crackling of a campfire...hey, wait a minute, we're not camping...of course, Kevin grabbed the camera. This was shot with our Nikon D90.

nisha's hat series

2009-06-01T10:02:00.001-07:00

nisha sondhe does not use capital letters. but she does use hats and she's doing an entire series for her photography portfolio. she asked us to be a part of it and last week i had my turn in front of the camera. compared to the artists, musicians, burlesque dancers and others in the series, I must have been an obvious counterpart to their hip factor...so adding the shotgun to the cowboy hat was

Thank You, ACH and MT

2009-05-24T06:02:00.000-07:00

Last week, I called Cael's mother to tell her that a photo of her 4-year-old daughter, Catherine, was in the Times to represent the Akron Children's campaign. That's a fun phone call to make. Then I called Austin's mother and she dropped the phone, calling out "Austin's in the New York Times!" His father had to pick up and finish the conversation. For the families that we met during the filming

SHOOT's 2009 New Directors Showcase

2009-05-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

Kevin has been selected for SHOOT's 2009 New Directors Showcase. We leave on Wednesday for New York where we will attend an event at the DGA Theater, his work will be screened as part of the New Directors Reel (you may have to be logged in to view the reel.) This is so exciting for us, for him, and for our business. We spent last week in a flurry of preparations: updating the painfully outdated

The Key

2009-05-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday I learned a very important lesson, the hard way...be sure to have extra keys. Well, sure, it sounds simple, but the simplest things can hold up an entire production. Like locking keys inside the car. Yesterday I left my keys on the seat of the car. And they were obstructed from view by a camera bag. Then, it was locked manually by another passenger who of course was smart to lock

Render Symposium at University of Monterrey

2009-05-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

When we accepted an invitation to speak at Render, a media symposium at the University of Monterrey, we had no idea what level of production we were about to join. My memories of guest speakers on our campus included folding chairs for students, and maybe nicer chairs for speakers on a bare stage. But, this three-day event was so professional that we often forgot we were in the hands of college

Above the fold!

2009-05-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

Marcus Thomas Advertising and the Akron Children's Hospital TV campaign were featured in Monday's New York Times, Business Section, page B4. The headline reads: "No Actors, Just Patients in Unvarnished Spots for Hospitals." It was exciting to call Catherine's mother and tell her that her little girl is in the New York Times, with photo, above the fold! And Austin is quoted in the article, which

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

2009-05-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

The past month has been full of travel - some vacation, some work. It started with a ski trip to Colorado with some friends. I've tried snowboarding for the first time this year and really liked it, but the snow out there was just too great to give up my skis, even for a day. Just before we arrived, there was 38" of fresh snowfall and the daily temps reached into the 40s. Can't beat that! Every

Our Buddy Sekou

2009-03-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

We continue to visit Sekou, even though we're not shooting anymore, since he has such a long stay at Akron Children's Hospital. During our recent visit, we showed him the rough cuts of the commercial spots. It's so much fun to see him watching footage of himself and his brother, Mohamed. He laughs and giggles, almost in unison with his image and audio. It's a riot, because that makes him laugh

Herb and Dorothy

2009-03-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

I want to be like Herb and Dorothy Vogel. Not completely like them, but a lot like them. The documentary about this unassuming couple that has amassed one of the world's most significant modern art collections is inspiring to me as we begin our own collection with Cleveland artists. I look forward to visiting their collection at the National Gallery in Washington DC and hopefully soon at a museum

The Way We Get By

2009-03-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

I just saw an incredible documentary: The Way We Get By. This story of senior citizens in Bangor, Maine, who greet soldiers at the airport as they return from the war, day or night, in any kind of weather, is more than just a story of troop greeters. This is a story about the meaning of life. These funny, intelligent and caring people are the epitome of what it means to be a citizen, to

MANchild Premiere

2009-03-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight's CIFF lineup includes the premiere of MANchild, a short film I line produced for Scenarios USA, a nonprofit organization that selects a winner from a teen writing contest and produces their story as a short film. Experienced directors and cinematographers, crew members, and actors join together to donate their talents for the production. Cleveland's winner is Earlaina Kemp, a young woman

33rd CIFF Promotional Trailer

2009-03-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Authentic Films produced the promotional trailer for the CIFF. It's wonderful to see it on the big screen in 35mm film. We were fortunate to have a top crew and 200+ generous extras who made it all possible. Enjoy:

Record Crowds!

2009-03-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

The 33rd CIFF has been the most fun festival ever - record crowds, great films, and respectful, quiet audiences make it a great experience. I've especially enjoyed the short film programs and find them so inspiring. It's no surprise that the CIFF has been named an Oscar-qualifying festival for short films. The selection has been impressive so far.Yesterday I saw a French short film, Forget-me-not

It's Starting

2009-03-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

The 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival opened last night with Lightbulb, a funny and touching story about friends who have wacky ideas for that novelty item invention that will make them rich. As you might expect, committing to this profession would have its challenges, especially for loved ones, and that's where the story becomes touching... it was a great film for opening night. The

Arhaus Customer Service

2009-03-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

So, we had a leather sofa that we really liked. When it started blistering on the surface, I called Arhaus, the manufacturer, to ask about having it repaired. I sent photos to them and they asked a few questions...when they determined that the leather was in fact defective, they gave me a store credit for the full price of the sofa. Today, they took the old one away and delivered our new sofa and

For Sale

2009-03-04T16:59:00.001-08:00

We have some equipment from the RA documentary that is for sale. Please let me know if you are interested and feel free to pass the information along...

CIFF Trailer Buzz

2009-03-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

It's fun to read other blogs about the 33rd CIFF promo trailer shoot. Messy Magazine was there to report on the shoot, and I feel like a party hostess who never had time to chat with each guest...learning that people enjoyed their time is great news! I hope they all like the final product. We are completing a sound mix now and hope to send it out for a 35mm print this week. The trailer will

Akron Transplant

2009-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

So our month at Akron Children's Hospital is coming to a close. This is our most special project and we are honored to be a part of it for a third time. We follow several patients through their surgeries, treatments, and appointments to capture the true experience of being treated at ACH. This footage yields several commercial spots that are tender, gripping, sometimes funny and always honest

CIFF Promo Trailer Shoot

2009-02-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a career highlight. We produced the 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival promotional trailer and it was the biggest crowd we've ever shot. About 200 extras - I haven't tallied the final count yet - came out for over 4 hours to participate. I'm still high from the experience, but tired enough that I'm feeling hungover at the same time. The footage looks fantastic, and in the

Back to Life, Back to Reality

2009-01-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

I am finally out of the fog that hovered from two months of sleep deprivation. It was as if a switch was flipped and I'm back to my old self. It happened at 87 West 2, where chef Jonathan Guest served us a fantastic meal and woke me up with flavor. Despite the snowstorm, we were out running some errands and decided to stop in. Because of the snowstorm, several people had cancelled out on a wine

Hello, Joe

2008-09-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

Today Joe joins us as Production Coordinator. And no one is happier to see him than Bob, our Production Manager, who has been swamped with details of the route. Bob and Joe will be coordinating much of our progress from our Cleveland office.This morning, I'll meet with our accountant and get our reporting functions in place. We've got our crew ready to go and equipment will be ordered today, too.

Ah, Saturday

2008-08-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

I'm deep into pre-production on the Running America documentary, and today I had to take a break to prep ourselves for some marketing. So, a new haircut, new headshot, and an updated bio were today's activities. Tonight we're watching a doc about Roy Stryker, the FSA/OWI photographers, and their portrayal of America during the depression. It's great inspiration as we look to start out on our

First Post

2008-08-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

Today's highlights include the Cleveland air show rehearsals. The Blue Angels broke the sound barrier over our loft again and again today. Then, we had a fabulous lunch at Zocalo's on East 4th - a new menu - where everything was delicious.